Paul Rodriguez Web Exclusive Interview

A lot has happened in Paul Rodriguez’ life as of late. He’s a new father, a new skate shop owner, and Fly Society just filmed its most recent video in his personal skatepark. However, Paul’s no stranger to juggling a busy schedule. We’ve all followed his career starting in his early teens, and his most impressive success might just be keeping a level head amid his busy lifestyle. We decided it was time for a little update on P Rod’s life, and the gallery of banging photos we got a hold of was icing on the cake. Read on as Paul starts 2009 with a new baby, a major skateboarding goal, and a fresh outlook on life—the only thing he’s down is that one chain.

Interview by Blair Alley

Photos by Herman Jimenez

First of all, let’s talk about your newfound fatherhood. What’s being a father like?

Oh man, it’s amazing. A whole new part of you opens up. A switch clicks in your head and you turn into a daddy. Diaper change—no problem. (Interview con’t below gallery)

Did you have a boy or a girl?

Little girl.

What’s her name?

Heaven.

Are you planning on having some more kids?

It’s loosely planned, we’d like to have another here, in a couple years. I don’t know if we’ll end up planning it.

Is Nike making little booties for her yet?

Yeah, they did actually. They made her some of my shoes with her name on them. The Air Heavens.

Your guess is as good as mine. That’s my main focus in skateboarding right now—we’re all working on that video aggressively.

Are you going to go check out the Alien Workshop premiere?

I’m debating on it. I should, I’ve kind of been slipping on videos these last couple years. With the internet, I can’t keep up. I’m gonna get a copy of the Alien video. I’m old school I guess. I just watch the videos that come out on DVD. The last video I saw was the Fallen video.

What’d you think?

It was amazing. Chris Cole is my hero.

So you won the Maloof Cup last year, what did you do with the 100 grand that you won?

It’s still in the bank. I mean, you know I had to go on a mini-splurge, bought a little jewelry.

What’d you get?

I got a chain I was pretty stoked on, but unfortunately, my punk-ass let my friend, my partner at my shop, borrow it and wear it in the shop one day. I was gonna come back and get it the next day, but I didn’t end up getting back to it that day. That night my friend decided he wanted to go out to a club with a couple friends and he ended up getting robbed for it.

No way!

Yeah, kinda sucked, but I got over it. He felt terrible. Then I got me a little pinky ring—a Plan B pinky ring I had made—pretty stoked on it.

I saw the Fly Society video they filmed in your skatepark. It looked like a good time, were you there for that one?

Nah, I wasn’t, I remember they said they were doing it, I don’t know if my daughter had been born yet or whatnot.

Any plans to film any more music videos at the skatepark?

Yeah, any time Terry wants. He knows the park is open to him. He’s always working on his music, coming up with ill stuff.

Where out there can kids see footage of your park?

On sk8site.com. We’re always filming. It’s all over sk8site. It’s not even that fancy of a park. It’s got a little set of stairs, a rail, and some hubbas—that’s like our obstacle that professionals built, then we just built a box, a manual pad, couple benches, couple flat bars—it’s just the bare necessities. I plan on making it a full-on legit street course in there.

That’s all I got for you. Anything else you’re working on?

Just being the best I can be on the skateboard everyday. Just practicing skating and enjoying life. After that, everything else just falls in place.